The Hogster wrote:This is a must win. Why? Because this team is capable of going to the playoffs if the Defense can come together on the back end. What's wrong with you people. The future is now.

I think every Redskins fan thinks every week is a "must win" in the sense that the team can/should put together their best product on the field and overcome the opponent. Whenever you don't win (with rare exceptions), it means there are real problems that need work, or some players just weren't focused well enough on the game, etc.

But when I hear someone ask if this week is a "must win," what I interpret that to mean is that the game will have a decisive effect on our season: i.e., either it is necessary to win to make the playoffs, or it's the kind of mid-season challenge that we have to rise to if we are going to have any hope of coming together as a team for a post-season run.

By definition, I think there are only a handful of "must-win" games each year. And I have yet to witness a week 4 contest for the Redskins that could honestly be called "must-win." There is still plenty of time for this team to come together even if we don't win today.

"I’m never under the assumption that you draft for need. You draft the best available football player on the board. ... Because, in the long run, they are the ones who will help you win the most games." - Scot McCloughan

The Hogster wrote:This is a must win. Why? Because this team is capable of going to the playoffs if the Defense can come together on the back end. What's wrong with you people. The future is now.

I think every Redskins fan thinks every week is a "must win" in the sense that the team can/should put together their best product on the field and overcome the opponent. Whenever you don't win (with rare exceptions), it means there are real problems that need work, or some players just weren't focused well enough on the game, etc.

But when I hear someone ask if this week is a "must win," what I interpret that to mean is that the game will have a decisive effect on our season: i.e., either it is necessary to win to make the playoffs, or it's the kind of mid-season challenge that we have to rise to if we are going to have any hope of coming together as a team for a post-season run.

By definition, I think there are only a handful of "must-win" games each year. And I have yet to witness a week 4 contest for the Redskins that could honestly be called "must-win." There is still plenty of time for this team to come together even if we don't win today.

Did a politician write this for you?

Dude, of course if we lose the next 3 games, theoretically the team could run the table or close to it. But, as of right now, the Skins have finished dead last in the NFC East the past 2 seasons.

Everyone in the division is 2-1. Giants play Philly, at least one, maybe 2 teams can get to 3-1 today. This is a must win because this is the year where we should be taking steps to get out of the basement. And, we're playing a team that we should be able to beat.

Having lost to 2 teams that we could have beaten already, we can't afford to lose to another if we're trying to make the leap.

The Hogster wrote:This is a must win. Why? Because this team is capable of going to the playoffs if the Defense can come together on the back end. What's wrong with you people. The future is now.

I think every Redskins fan thinks every week is a "must win" in the sense that the team can/should put together their best product on the field and overcome the opponent. Whenever you don't win (with rare exceptions), it means there are real problems that need work, or some players just weren't focused well enough on the game, etc.

But when I hear someone ask if this week is a "must win," what I interpret that to mean is that the game will have a decisive effect on our season: i.e., either it is necessary to win to make the playoffs, or it's the kind of mid-season challenge that we have to rise to if we are going to have any hope of coming together as a team for a post-season run.

By definition, I think there are only a handful of "must-win" games each year. And I have yet to witness a week 4 contest for the Redskins that could honestly be called "must-win." There is still plenty of time for this team to come together even if we don't win today.

Did a politician write this for you?

Dude, of course if we lose the next 3 games, theoretically the team could run the table or close to it. But, as of right now, the Skins have finished dead last in the NFC East the past 2 seasons.

Everyone in the division is 2-1. Giants play Philly, at least one, maybe 2 teams can get to 3-1 today. This is a must win because this is the year where we should be taking steps to get out of the basement. And, we're playing a team that we should be able to beat.

Having lost to 2 teams that we could have beaten already, we can't afford to lose to another if we're trying to make the leap.

I think The Poster-Formerly-Known-as-Fan-From-Annapolis paraphrased Joe Gibbs...who spoke as carefully as any diplomat or politician. "This game is a must-win"; "we don;t worry about winning all the games...we focus on winning the next game" etc etc.

jmooney wrote:At first my immediate reaction to this question would be YES! We absolutely cannot afford to go 1-3 considering our schedule the rest of the way.

Then I thought

Was this year really about the playoffs? our record?

It would be nice to not be considered "out of it" before a quarter of the season is gone , I get that.

Heres the thing though, if were going to win . It needs to be done in dominating fashion. Not some crazy shootout with the TAMPA BAY BUCS!

Where RGIII has to go to heroics, running option football , in the closing seconds to win. A game where he's taken big hit after big hit and our Defense has made the bucs offense look like the second coming of the greatest show on turf.

There's a win scenario and a loss scenario I'm prepared to accept. But I want to see the problems being corrected.

every game is a must win game

we still have some really big issues but we should be able to get 8 to 10 wins out of the season

we are not a playoff caliber franchise yet but from what we've seen from the other 3 teams in the NFC East, we're not that far off either

the Redskins need a GM and HC that have the authority and support of the owner like most other NFL franchises

With any kind of effort better than a total collapse of the defense in weeks 2 & 3, this team could easily be 4-0 right now, and on top in the NFC east. The almost magical turnaround from offensive joke to offensive point machine is more than anyone could have expected to see so early in the career of a rookie QB, yet that is what we've seen, and that type of production on offense gives you a chance to win a lot of games. However, with the issues we have on defense, the Redskins will need that production on offense each and every week to remain competitive, until the defense figures out their significant problems.

That said, no team can expect to endure 3 game losing streaks, particularly when it comes in the easier part of their schedule, while their next two opponents are division leaders, and playing HOT.

A loss yesterday would have put the Redskins behind the 8 Ball at 1-3 .... with their only win coming against an 0-4 team ... and likely looking straight into the face of a 1-5 start.

That situation made the Bucs game a CLEAR must-win game ... unless your only expectation is a 4-12 season. If that's the case, then no, it was not a must win game, as the team could probably expect to find a way to win 2 or 3 out of the next 12 games.

Back to back losses are a setback to teams that are fighting to move into the competitive category, while a 3 or 4 game losing streak in the beginning of the season is more than enough to sink any team's season.

Yesterday's game was unquestionably a MUST-WIN situation, by any reasonable assessment.

RayNAustin wrote:With any kind of effort better than a total collapse of the defense in weeks 2 & 3, this team could easily be 4-0 right now, and on top in the NFC east. The almost magical turnaround from offensive joke to offensive point machine is more than anyone could have expected to see so early in the career of a rookie QB, yet that is what we've seen, and that type of production on offense gives you a chance to win a lot of games. However, with the issues we have on defense, the Redskins will need that production on offense each and every week to remain competitive, until the defense figures out their significant problems.

That said, no team can expect to endure 3 game losing streaks, particularly when it comes in the easier part of their schedule, while their next two opponents are division leaders, and playing HOT.

A loss yesterday would have put the Redskins behind the 8 Ball at 1-3 .... with their only win coming against an 0-4 team ... and likely looking straight into the face of a 1-5 start.

That situation made the Bucs game a CLEAR must-win game ... unless your only expectation is a 4-12 season. If that's the case, then no, it was not a must win game, as the team could probably expect to find a way to win 2 or 3 out of the next 12 games.

Back to back losses are a setback to teams that are fighting to move into the competitive category, while a 3 or 4 game losing streak in the beginning of the season is more than enough to sink any team's season.

Yesterday's game was unquestionably a MUST-WIN situation, by any reasonable assessment.

I hate to say it, but I have a hard, really hard time seeing how we beat Atlanta this week, period and can only see beating the vikings if we play the whole game as we did the 1st half yesterday, or the 1st half against STL or the first half against NO.

I know he got a pretty good zip on the ball. He has a quick release. . . once I seen a coupla' throws, I was just like 'Yeah, he's that dude.'"

cowboykillerzRGiii wrote:Why can't we as a community vote her out? If someone provides nothing but antagonizing posts, borderline smack at that (but she groups us up instead of individually attacking us), says the same CRAP every damn post, and she doesn't have a team or like the NFL, why should we even tolerate her bs?

Because as long as it's within house rules THN allows everyone to speak their mind. It's really not more complicated than that.

I respect the free speech thing, but I'd gladly chip in $20 to have an IGNORE function programmed on here.

I will say this - if the giants, eagles and pukes keep playing the way they have, we're going to score some points

not sure we can keep the scores down though

What we've seen from the Redskins so far is a total transformation ... a 180 degree swap from a good defense/putrid offense ... to the reverse. I expected the defense to improve, not disintegrate .... but the loss of two key players in the secondary (one injury, one suspension) in an already marginal group, coupled with the loss of two valuable defensive players in the front 7, has had a devastating impact so far.

Rak's loss is probably the biggest one, because regardless of the number of sacks he gets ... he generates a lot of pressure and draws a lot of holding penalties. And the combination of Rak and Kerrigan helps both players ... while the loss of one, hurts the other. And nothing helps a suspect secondary better than good pass pressure.

The next biggest help to struggling secondaries is the safety ... and our safeties aren't that good ... with Meriweather probably the best we have, injured. Gomes has been a disappointment so far, Williams is marginal at best, and Doughty is decent in the run game, but struggles in coverage. Wilson and Hall are decent corners, but look worse than they are given the lack of safety help ... Wilson seems to do a pretty good job in coverage, but blows a couple of big plays each game, while Hall draws the #1 guy each week, and he's not Revis Island. So you have to expect that Hall is going to get beat occasionally, and he has no safety help.

The Redskins need a play maker at FS ... and Wilson needs to eliminate the mistakes, and somebody needs to step up and fill in for Rak.

cowboykillerzRGiii wrote:Why can't we as a community vote her out? If someone provides nothing but antagonizing posts, borderline smack at that (but she groups us up instead of individually attacking us), says the same CRAP every damn post, and she doesn't have a team or like the NFL, why should we even tolerate her bs?

Because as long as it's within house rules THN allows everyone to speak their mind. It's really not more complicated than that.

I respect the free speech thing, but I'd gladly chip in $20 to have an IGNORE function programmed on here.

I recall someone saying that the "Constitution" was never meant to be a suicide pact.

Most every board on the internet has rules prohibiting Trolling and Flaming, and though sometimes those rules are applied unfairly and selectively used to censor free speech .... sometimes the Trolling and Flaming is so obvious, no one would mistake it as a form of censorship or being untrue to the spirit of the rules that exist for the express purpose of maintaining an harmonious environment and defending against deliberate attack, which has no intention of engaging in legitimate discussion and debate.

The Hogster wrote:This is a must win. Why? Because this team is capable of going to the playoffs if the Defense can come together on the back end. What's wrong with you people. The future is now.

I think every Redskins fan thinks every week is a "must win" in the sense that the team can/should put together their best product on the field and overcome the opponent. Whenever you don't win (with rare exceptions), it means there are real problems that need work, or some players just weren't focused well enough on the game, etc.

But when I hear someone ask if this week is a "must win," what I interpret that to mean is that the game will have a decisive effect on our season: i.e., either it is necessary to win to make the playoffs, or it's the kind of mid-season challenge that we have to rise to if we are going to have any hope of coming together as a team for a post-season run.

By definition, I think there are only a handful of "must-win" games each year. And I have yet to witness a week 4 contest for the Redskins that could honestly be called "must-win." There is still plenty of time for this team to come together even if we don't win today.

Did a politician write this for you?

Dude, of course if we lose the next 3 games, theoretically the team could run the table or close to it. But, as of right now, the Skins have finished dead last in the NFC East the past 2 seasons.

Everyone in the division is 2-1. Giants play Philly, at least one, maybe 2 teams can get to 3-1 today. This is a must win because this is the year where we should be taking steps to get out of the basement. And, we're playing a team that we should be able to beat.

Having lost to 2 teams that we could have beaten already, we can't afford to lose to another if we're trying to make the leap.

I think The Poster-Formerly-Known-as-Fan-From-Annapolis paraphrased Joe Gibbs...who spoke as carefully as any diplomat or politician. "This game is a must-win"; "we don;t worry about winning all the games...we focus on winning the next game" etc etc.

Ah, the joys of Gibbs-speak!

Wise words. As fans wisdom is usually ignored.

Anyhow I do think this team can grow and win at the same time. RG3 just had his first 2 minute drill game winning drive. Certainly a signifigant moment in the maturation process of this offense.